Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
by KissHerJack
Summary: Their surprise cargo from a mission force Jack and Sam to think about things that could be, but not right now. Pre-Grace.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star  
  
Author: Gail R. Delaney RmceWrtrhotmail.com  
  
Rating: PG-13 (for a bit of language, that's it)  
  
Pairing: Sam/Jack  
  
Summary: An unexpected 'guest' of the SGC makes Sam and Jack think about what could be, and what can't be... right now.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate, Jack, Sam, Teal'c ... none of them. I don't make any money from writing these; don't intend to make any money. The praise and adoration is enough snort  
  
Genre: Romance, Angst, Hurt/Comfort  
  
Timeline: Season 7 prior to Grace  
  
Feedback: Absolutely!  
  
Archives: At my site, ff.net. Here. Anywhere else, just ask. I'll probably say yes... just want to know where.  
  
Author's Note: Some people believe that 'Grace' is a manifestation of the cloud Sam and the Prometheus is trapped in. Others (like me) believe that, like the other 'visitors' Sam has, Grace is someone in her life. Someone she just doesn't know yet. And with her smarts and witty comebacks, just who do you suppose this child's parents could be? So, deep in the back of Sam's mind, whether she realized it or not, she contemplated her future. This story stands as a possibility of what got those thoughts started to begin with.  
  
Additional Note: Just for those that don't know where I'm getting some of this information on Jack's family... I'm not just pulling it out of my... um... hat. ( Richard Dean Anderson wrote a brief bio of sorts for one of the series reference guides from Jack's point of view. In that memo, he stated that 1) his (Jack's) parents were divorced and 2) his mother was a computer genius. So, there ya go. ( 


	2. Chapter 1

The air on P9V-222 just plain smelled green. Fresh. Crisp. Just the faintest hint of floral and something akin to pine. Maybe even fruit? Berries, or something.  
  
Kind of like that bottle of pink stuff Sam accidentally left in the locker room shower last week...  
  
"The buildings shown by the MALP were North, correct, Major?" Jack asked, turning towards his 2IC, spurred by his own wayward thoughts.  
  
"Yes, sir. Three clicks."  
  
In silent agreement, the four members of SG-1 headed north, the only sound their strides through the tall grasses around them. From the images and readings the MALP sent back, Jack wasn't figuring on any technological breakthroughs on the planet, but at least it was warm and green while Colorado was typical January cold. As they walked, he scanned the horizon and tree line for anything that might send up a warning flag.  
  
"Wow!"  
  
Jack stopped mid stride and turned to Daniel. "What?"  
  
Daniel was digging furiously through the pockets of his ALICE vest, finally coming out with his field glasses. He stared out over the horizon, and Jack followed his line of site, seeing the first up cropping of a stone structure a good two clicks away still.  
  
"This is incredible! Look at the ramparts and crenellations, I mean, it has to be Medieval European. Possibly pre-Elizabethan, maybe later. But not by much. Even the Coat of Arms displayed on the tower depicts imagery prominent in Wales and Scotland after the 1600's."  
  
Jack adjusted the shoulder strap of his P-90 so it sat against his torso, and used the weapon as a shelf to support his crossed arms. He squinted behind his sunglasses and glanced around the green landscape around them, not really listening to Daniel as he went on about King So-and-So and the Reign of something or other.  
  
"Jack? Jack, are you listening?"  
  
He spun back and adjusted the brim of his hat to better shield the bright sunlight. "What?"  
  
"You're not even listening, Jack. I mean, this is huge."  
  
Jack stared at Daniel, pretty sure that he didn't really care. Carter, who stood beside him, turned her back to Daniel as if she was checking out the surroundings.  
  
"Goa'ulds were on Earth as late as the fifteenth century," she mumbled under her breath.  
  
"Daniel, to you everything is huge," Jack said, waving his hand. "Come on. It just means the damn snakeheads were still being a pain in the ass as late as, what, the late fifteenth century?"  
  
The look of total shock on Daniel's face was priceless. Jack popped up his eyebrows and grinned. In his peripheral vision, he caught Sam's expression as she did her best to suppress her smirk.  
  
"Um, yeah..." Daniel mumbled, his eyes darting from Jack to the field glasses in his hand.  
  
"Well, it's obvious..." Jack threw in for good measure and brushed past the silenced archaeologist and headed towards the... castle?... for lack of a better description.  
  
Sam fell into stride beside him as they moved ahead, taking point. She shifted her P-90 in her arms, and they walked in silence for several minutes. Behind them, Jack heard Daniel explaining to Teal'c – in great detail – the feudal system of Europe.  
  
As they reached the bottom of the steady slope, Jack heard Sam's muffled chuckle. He glanced sideways at her.  
  
"Careful, Major. You'll give us away."  
  
She laughed softly, almost a purr, and cleared her throat. "His face was priceless."  
  
"I'm rubbing off on you, Carter."  
  
"I don't necessarily consider that a bad--"  
  
Sam stopped mid-sentence as a woman's scream ripped through the quiet morning air. Jack scanned the area as Sam pointed to the nearby copse of trees.  
  
"That way, sir!"  
  
SG-1 took off at a dead run, Jack leading the way. As they reached the treeline, another scream echoed around them. It was a cry of pain, there was no doubt in Jack's mind. He angled to the right, leaping over a small shrub and jerked to a stop to keep from stepping right on the woman they sought. Sam and the others fell in behind him as he went down on one knee beside the young girl who was quite obviously in labor, her hands clutching the sides of her rounded stomach.  
  
"Holy Hannah..." Sam gasped.  
  
"Help me!" she cried out in pain. "My baby! Something is wrong!" And again she screamed, throwing her head back as her body arched in the damp leaves.  
  
Jack grimaced and looked up at the other members of his team. "Daniel?"  
  
Daniel's eyes rounded and he stuttered out "What? Jack, what do you want me to do?"  
  
Jack whipped off his hat and let his sunglasses hang around his neck. The shaded forest was dim. "Well, Daniel... how many babies have you delivered now?"  
  
Daniel stuttered again, not really answering.  
  
"By my count, at least three, sir," Sam interjected.  
  
Daniel shot her a sharp look.  
  
"And how many babies have the rest of us delivered? None. That makes you resident expert."  
  
The girl screamed again, and it seemed to be enough to thrust Daniel into action. Even Teal'c obliged in obeying the orders and instructions Daniel gave as he knelt between the young girl's knees. With each scream, Jack winced, remembering the day Charlie was born despite his best efforts not to.  
  
It was obvious after several minutes, even to Jack, that something was wrong. No matter how Daniel coaxed, and the obvious strain on the young woman's features, nothing was happening. The child wasn't coming out. She looked pale and exhausted, falling back against Teal'c after each contraction as he did his job to support her.  
  
Jack caught Sam's expression as Daniel fought to bring the baby into the world. She looked nearly as pale as the young mother, her blue eyes wide and her lips a bright red in contrast to her cheeks.  
  
"Oh, Lord have mercy on me!" the girl cried out through her sobs. Her dark hair was slicked back from her forehead, clinging damply to her cheeks and neck with sweat and tears. "Please! Please! Save my child!"  
  
"I'm doing the best I can," Daniel said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Why the hell is she out in the middle of nowhere having a freakin' baby to begin with?" Jack asked no one in particular.  
  
"One more time! Push!"  
  
The girl bore down, her body curling forward and her face flushing dusky red as she cried out with such agony it stopped Jack's heart in his chest. With one last gush of air, she fell back into Teal'c arms, and a new sound took over.  
  
The soft, quivering cry of a baby.  
  
Jack released his pent up breath.  
  
"The blanket, Sam," Daniel said as he lifted the naked and wet child from beneath her mother's legs and set her in Sam's waiting arms.  
  
Jack did his best to help, feeling pretty much useless. He handed Daniel the tiny set of medical scissors that were included in their first aid supplies, and Daniel snipped the umbilical cord. For someone who claimed he barely knew what he was doing, Daniel seemed to be doing a damn good job of it. Sam had regained her color, and quickly bundled the newborn in the blanket she had retrieved from one of their packs as soon as Daniel nodded his head that it was okay.  
  
Well, not exactly the mission he planned on...  
  
"The mother is weak, but she still breathes, DanielJackson," Teal'c said as he touched the woman's neck.  
  
"We need to get her to a town or something, Jack. She lost a lot of blood. If we can find her family, her husband, and maybe the equivalent of a midwife... I don't know... but there'd be a chance."  
  
Ice-cold fingers grasped Jack's wrist and he looked down at the new mother. Her cheeks were ashen and sallow, dark rings forming around her eyes, and her skin still glistened with sweat.  
  
"Please, M'Lord. You must take care of my baby." 


	3. Chapter 2

Sam did her best to wrap the amazingly small infant in the military-issue blanket, silently cursing over the coarse texture against such new skin, as she wiped away the mucus and fluid from the little girl's eyes and nose. The infant mewled softly, her lips open and her mouth searching for a source of food each time Sam touched her cheek.  
  
Daniel was telling Jack the mother needed help, they needed to move her, but as Sam looked at the woman's face she doubted there was any use. The ground was saturated with her blood, and her limbs trembled with cold and fatigue. She was so young... looking no more than seventeen... and dressed in little more than rags. But she was frail and thin, despite the fact that she had just given birth, and her breath was shallow and ragged.  
  
"Please, M'Lord. You must take care of my baby."  
  
The girl's wavering voice drew Sam's attention, and she looked up from the babe to see the mother clutching Jack's wrist. Sam's heart rose in her throat as Jack took the girl's hand in both of his and moved closer to her.  
  
"Please," she pleaded again. "My Lord, care for my child. I beg of you."  
  
"We're going to take you to your people," Jack said, patting her hand. "You'll be just fine."  
  
"No!" she cried, trying to sit up but only collapsed back into Teal'c's arms. "You must take her, and go. They will cast her away."  
  
Sam looked to Daniel. "What could she mean?"  
  
Daniel shook his head. "I don't know. Milady, where are your people? Your family?" he asked, seeming to adopt some of her speech.  
  
She shook her head, tears rolling from her eyes. "There is no one. I am alone. I am unclean, unworthy. Please, do not allow my sin to shame my babe. You are not of our shire. Please, please take her to your home."  
  
She was near hysterics, and as if on cue, the child cried out. Sam made soft shushing sounds and gave the baby her pinky finger, which the child greedily latched onto.  
  
"Okay, okay." Jack held a finger to his lips. "Take it easy."  
  
Daniel shook his head. "Jack, this isn't good."  
  
"I know, Daniel. I know. What's your name?" he asked of the girl.  
  
"I have no name," she said softly, her strength waning. "I am outcast."  
  
"Ah, hell," Jack mumbled under his breath.  
  
"But you must have had a name," Sam said, still bouncing the baby in her arms. "Come on. Your daughter needs to know her mother's name."  
  
She turned her head and reached a shaky arm out to the baby in Sam's arms, and Sam moved closer so she could touch the still damp head. A weak smile spread her lips and her eyes glistened with tears. This woman knew she was going to die, Sam could see it in her face. Giving her the only and only chance she would ever have, Sam shifted the baby in her hold so she was partially in her mother's arms.  
  
"Tell her, someday, that her mother's name was Elspeth."  
  
"It's a beautiful name," Daniel said.  
  
The very feel of the air around the six of them had changed. Without a word being spoken, they all knew that trying to even move her was pointless. That this would be the place that she would die. One life came into the world, and one leaving. As Elspeth held her daughter, Sam stole a glance at Jack.  
  
He knelt on one knee in the leaves, his elbow on his raised leg and his head in his hand. She tried to see his eyes, to read what thoughts might be swirling and churning behind them, but he didn't look in her direction. Sam looked to Daniel. His emotions were clear, and she knew he remembered the last time he took part in this kind of miracle. Delivering Sha're's child.  
  
"What will you name your daughter?" Sam asked, bringing her focus back to Elspeth and the child she helped her hold.  
  
The look of peace and joy on Elspeth's face far outweighed the wane exhaustion as she stroked her daughter's cheek. "Lorelei. T'was her grandmother's name."  
  
Sam swallowed hard.  
  
"It is indeed a fine name for your child," Teal'c said, and the heavy weight of his voice surprised Sam after his long silence.  
  
"It's beautiful."  
  
Elspeth looked up, meeting Sam's gaze. "Promise me, Milady, that you will not allow harm to come to her? My sin should not be her sin. My sentence not her own."  
  
Sam looked to Jack, and he raised his head. His dark eyes met hers, and he nodded almost imperceptively. She looked back to Elspeth. "I promise."  
  
Elspeth pressed her lips to the baby's head, then with tears streaming from her eyes, she pushed the child towards Sam. With Lorelei in Sam's arms again, Elspeth took one long shuddered breath and her body went limp. Daniel reached for her hand and felt for a pulse. Sam held her breath.  
  
"She's gone."  
  
"Ah, damn..." Jack mumbled, rubbing his hand over his face.  
  
Sam closed her eyes and slowly released her breath. The baby in her arms filled the forest with her cries. 


	4. Chapter 3

"You okay carrying her, Carter?" Jack asked as he fell back in step with his 2IC.  
  
Sam shifted the infant in the crook of her arm so she could soothe her with her pinky to suck on. "I'm fine, sir."  
  
'Here. Hang on." He touched her shoulder so she would stop, and took her P-90 from where it hung behind her. "Better?"  
  
Sam looked up at him and smiled, the kind of small grin that usually managed to effectively punch him in the gut. "Thank you, sir."  
  
Jack nodded and slipped the weapon strap over his head so the gun lay at a diagonal across his back. Up ahead of them, Teal'c paused to turn back to them.  
  
"O'Neill. There is a village just over the next hill. The inhabitants appear to be primitive by Tau'ri standards."  
  
"Sir, I need just a minute before we get there," Sam said, kneeling on the ground as she pulled the blankets back from Lorelei.  
  
"She make a mess?"  
  
"Not yet, but I think I know what to do to make it... um... less of a mess," she said, grinning up at him.  
  
Jack looked back to Daniel and Teal'c. "You two go ahead. See if you can ask around and maybe find Elspeth's family, or someone who knows them. Someone in charge."  
  
"'Kay, Jack," Daniel said, lifting his hand in a wave.  
  
Teal'c just bowed his head and turned to walk away with Daniel. Jack watched Sam as she dug through the various pockets of her ALICE vest, pulling out some of the first aid items. She unfolded a large gauze and plastic pad designed for absorbing blood in a trauma situation and worked at wrapping it as best she could around the little girl to form a short- term diaper.  
  
"Good thought, Carter."  
  
"Yeah, well, I'd rather do this than deal with a soggy blanket later."  
  
Jack pulled a roll of bandage tape from his vest. "Here. This should hold it in place."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
He watched her as she worked on – to use one of her favorite terms – MacGyvering a diaper of sorts. Jack suppressed his chuckle. Maybe she needed some duct tape...  
  
But her tight expression and intent focus drew his attention. She pulled her lower lip through her teeth with almost a vengeance, her forehead drawn together tensely. Jack crouched down beside her, watching her as she seemed almost unaware of his closeness. He tapped her arm.  
  
"Hey. Carter. What's up?"  
  
Sam glanced at him. "I was just thinking about the things Elspeth said. That she was an outcast. For us to take Lorelei so her sin wouldn't be her daughter's sin. What do you suppose all that meant?"  
  
"I don't know, but I don't think I'm going to like it when I find out."  
  
The way her blue gaze met and held his, as she barely dipped her chin, told Jack she felt the same way. Something didn't sit right. Sam turned her focus again on Lorelei and finished bundling her.  
  
"You ready to move?" Jack asked, still crouched beside her.  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Do you want me to carry her for awhile?"  
  
Her eyes flicked in his direction, and a small smile tipped her lips. "You know, Colonel, if I didn't know better I'd think you're itching to hold her. You just don't want to admit it."  
  
"I just thought you might be tired of—"  
  
Before he could finish, Lorelei was in the bend of his right arm and Sam was taking back her P-90. He could have bristled, acted awkward, made some sarcastic remark... but all such thoughts just disappeared.  
  
It had been years since he held a baby. There had been nephews and nieces since Charlie was an infant, but they were all much older now. The slight weight was familiar, bringing back flashes of memories. Sitting in the rocker at two in the morning, rocking and talking in hushed whispers so Sara could sleep. Lying on his stomach on the living room rug so he could be face to face with his son, who was just learning his arms could hold him up. Wiggling, squirming bundles of energy with no way to burn it off but to giggle, smile and dance.  
  
"Colonel?"  
  
Jack looked up, immediately locking gazes with Sam who knelt beside him. Her hand rested on Lorelei, but her eyes were on him. Silent communication moved between them, just as it had grown to be for them over the years, and they both stood. Side by side, they walked in the direction Daniel and Teal'c had gone.  
  
As they took a turn in the path, Sam spoke to say she saw Daniel and Teal'c approaching. Daniel in the lead, his long strides eating up the distance. As they grew nearer, Jack saw Daniel's expression twisted into an angry glare. He marched up to them, his floppy had crumpled tightly in his fisted hand.  
  
"Daniel..." Jack said slowly. "What's up?"  
  
"You might as well just turn around now, Jack. No use wasting your time," he nearly shouted, his voice several octaves higher than any of them were used to hearing. "Don't take her anywhere near that village!"  
  
"Whoa, Daniel. Take it easy," Sam said, touching Daniel's arm. "What happened?"  
  
Teal'c reached them, his pace not quite as angry and fueled as Daniel's. He stood behind Daniel, the end of his staff weapon set on the ground, and his usual stoic expression on his face.  
  
"Teal'c, care to explain?"  
  
Lorelei fussed, and without much thought, Jack slowly and gently bounced his arm, swaying her back to silence.  
  
"The inhabitants of this planet are ones of great conviction. When Daniel Jackson told them of the woman we found in childbirth, and the daughter which came from her womb, they were most adamant we should bring the child at once."  
  
"And this is bad, because...?"  
  
"Because, Jack, they want to kill her," Daniel shouted.  
  
"What?" Jack and Sam said in unison, then glanced at each other.  
  
"In this place, Elspeth and her child are outcasts," Teal'c went on to explain, and Elspeth's words whispered in the back of Jack's thoughts. "Her child was conceived outside the vows of marriage, and when she would not name the father, for fear of death for both of them, she was cast from the village to live in the wilderness."  
  
"It's amazing she lasted as long as she did without shelter and care," Daniel said, his voice just barely below a shout now yet still heavily laced with anger. "Jack, if she had lived long enough for us to bring her here, they would have stoned her on the spot. Those were her options, banishment or death by stoning."  
  
"Just because she got pregnant?" Sam asked, her voice shooting up an octave.  
  
"I knew many older civilizations had strict beliefs when it came to religion, and the punishment for breaking the laws of the church, but my GOD, Jack. They want to kill her. We can't leave her here." Daniel had reached a state of livid frenzy, waving his arms in argument, thrusting his finger back towards the way they had come.  
  
"We're sure about this?" Jack ventured to ask.  
  
"Indeed, O'Neill. In fact, I believe they may come in search of the babe if we do not take our leave of this planet."  
  
Almost on cue, the sound of multiple people pushing their way through the undergrowth came from down the trail.  
  
"Sir..."  
  
"Jack, we need to go..."  
  
But before either Sam's or Daniel's words were out of their mouths, Jack pushed Lorelei into Sam's arms. "Take her and head for the Gate. Go!"  
  
Sam and Daniel took off, Daniel's hand pressed to her back to help her along. Teal'c and Jack hung back enough to make sure their progress would go unhindered. Jack didn't want to hurt any of these people, but if it came down to one of them or one of his people getting through the Gate, his people won.  
  
They managed to stay ahead of the hunting party. Just far enough ahead that Jack saw them, but hopefully their departure had remained unseen. There were at least three-dozen men making their way through the forest.  
  
As they neared the Gate, Jack and Teal'c closed the space between them. Lorelei was fussing again, and Sam stood at the base of the Gate steps with the baby curled against her shoulder as Daniel dialed.  
  
"Let's move it, Daniel!"  
  
Just as Jack shouted, the hunting party crested the hill and shouted out for them to stop. He made out only a handful of words from the cacophony of cries, but 'devil' and 'sinner' and 'death' burned in his ears. The DHD's center glowed red, and with a familiar and almost comforting 'kawoosh' the Gate engaged.  
  
"Move it, kids."  
  
Daniel and Teal'c moved up the steps, and Jack moved beside Sam to follow. As they reached the top, a volley of crude arrows buzzed by their heads, and on instinct Jack wrapped his arms around Sam and Lorelei as they both jumped through the event horizon.  
  
  
  
"Unscheduled Off –World Activation."  
  
General Hammond stood from behind his desk and left his office, heading down the stairs to the Gate Control Room.  
  
"Do we have an IDC?"  
  
"Coming through now, General. It's SG-1."  
  
"They left less than three hours ago. Open the iris and call a medical team to the Gate room."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
General Hammond left the Control area and headed directly for the Gate room. Two things made him nervous. Teams that came home later than they were supposed to. And Teams that came home early.  
  
An array of armed soldiers took up their posts along the base of the Gate ramp in anticipation of whomever came through, on the off chance they were not friend but foe. The even horizon shifted, and Dr. Jackson came through with Teal'c right behind. They both stepped clear and stopped, turning back to the Gate. General Hammond assumed in anticipation of the rest of the Team.  
  
What he saw next shocked him. Colonel Jack O'Neill came through, with Major Samantha Carter held against his chest in what seemed to be an almost intimate embrace. Her body was turned into his and her face turned away.  
  
"Shut the iris! Shut it down!" Colonel O'Neill ordered.  
  
A split second later, the Titanium iris swirled into place and the electrifying buzz of the engaged Gate silenced as the connection was lost.  
  
General Hammond approached the ramp as the doors opened and Doctor Frasier came in, leading her team.  
  
"Colonel, report. What happened?"  
  
But Jack was speaking to Major Carter, his arms still partially around her and his hands pressed against her back. Her head was down, and she nodded as she spoke, but no one could hear what they said.  
  
"Colonel, what is going on?"  
  
Colonel O'Neill finally dropped his hold on his 2IC, just as Dr. Jackson said "Well, General. It's an interesting story."  
  
Just then, a collective gasp moved through the Gate room as a soft cry rang out and Major Carter turned, a bundled baby in her arms. 


	5. Chapter 4

"She appears to be in good health. Perhaps a little underweight by our standards, but if I understand the mother's living conditions, I'd say she's doing very well considering," Janet explained, seated at the debriefing table with a brand new medical folder open in front of her.  
  
"Do you have any reason to suspect she might be a danger? Speaking strictly biologically," General Hammond asked.  
  
Sam sat silent, her hands clenched tightly together in her lap. They had returned with Lorelei and hour before, and she wanted to see her. She didn't understand the almost overwhelming need, but it twisted in her chest and made her tense and nervous.  
  
"Not at all, sir. My only concern is feeding her at this point. We don't know what will be compatible to her genetic make up. Right now, we're putting her or an easily digestible newborn formula. We'll have to wait and see how she reacts."  
  
Sam shifted in her chair, feeling hot and smothered. She needed air. Like a gentle touch on her shoulder, she felt his gaze move on her. Sam swallowed and glanced in Jack's direction.  
  
He sat across from her, his tall frame bent forward over the table top, his hands clasped together loosely in front of him. But his dark gaze was on her. Watching her. Reading her. She knew it as well as if she were doing it herself.  
  
One eyebrow arched. You okay?  
  
She dipped her chin in an abbreviated nod. It was enough for him to see.  
  
"What do you suggest we do now, Doctor Frasier?" General Hammond asked.  
  
"Well, sir... in a way, this is a similar situation to when we brought Cassandra through. And yet, it's different. Lorelei will never remember where she came from, or this place, unlike Cassie. But she is, in all actuality, an alien. Whoever becomes responsible for her care should be made to understand where she came from and how she came to be here. It's an interesting situation."  
  
"And one I intend to discuss with the President. But until such a time as a suitable home is found, we need to put her somewhere. The SGC infirmary is far from an appropriate nursery."  
  
"Well, she should stay a little longer, sir. She is, after all, a newborn."  
  
"Understood, Doctor. I'll let you know as soon as I have a temporary placement."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Everyone around the table moved to their feet. Before Janet could leave the room, Sam managed to dodge moving chairs and departing bodies to catch up with her, touching her friend's arm.  
  
"Janet?"  
  
"What's up, Sam?"  
  
"Could I visit Lorelei?"  
  
Janet smiled. "Of course. I feel badly, because as young as she is she really needs that human contact, but I'm not exactly staffed to run a nursery."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
She walked with Janet to the infirmary and immediately moved to the makeshift bed they'd created on a cot in the furthest corner of the room, away from most of the hustle and bustle. A white curtain was pulled around to partially block the bassinet, and Sam slipped behind it, looking down at the sleeping baby.  
  
Lorelei was all cleaned up now, better than Sam had been able to manage on the planet. She slept on her back, swaddled in a white blanket. Bright red lips pulled together into a heart-shaped pout, her chin working to suckle on something only in her dreams. Her skin was fair, with a rosy flush in her cheeks, and a soft downy layer of light brown hair dusted her head.  
  
Something Sam didn't understand pushed out from her chest. A yearning she had never experienced before. She leaned over the bed and laid her palm over Lorelei's head, stroking the soft hair. Lorelei pulled in a deep breath, her body shuddering as she released it in sleep.  
  
"She doin' okay?"  
  
Sam knew he was there just an instant before he spoke, so his softly spoken deep voice didn't surprise her. Jack stepped behind her, close enough to look over her shoulder but not so close that any part of him touched her.  
  
"She's sleeping. Isn't she beautiful, sir?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
The heavy quality of his voice brought Sam's head up, and she looked over her shoulder at her commanding officer. His dark gaze was on Lorelei, his hands shoved into the front pockets of his BDU's. His arms worked in small motions, as if antsy.  
  
He wanted to touch Lorelei...  
  
Sam hid her smile by turning away. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, watching Jack with Lorelei while they were still on the planet had effected her. How, she couldn't quite define, but it happened nonetheless. The way he automatically began to sway his body when she fussed, so natural and easy. Sometimes she forgot that he had been a father, and seeing his ease with Lorelei, she was willing to bet he had been a great one.  
  
She also remembered, with vivid detail, the way he had protectively pulled her and Lorelei to his chest as they stepped through the gate. Protecting them both from the meager attack. And he hadn't released her on the other side, not until he knew she had her bearings and that they both were okay. His hands had supported her, the effect of his touch not diminished by the heavy layers of material that kept his skin from hers. And he bent his head to look down at Lorelei, speaking softly and making sure they were fine.  
  
"You can hold her if you want," Janet said from the edge of the curtain.  
  
Sam looked up, and sensed Jack's single step backwards, creating just a little bit larger buffer zone between them.  
  
"She's asleep."  
  
"That's okay. Babies grow stronger and faster when they're held. Even if she's asleep, she knows someone is loving her."  
  
Sam's chest pulled again, and her throat tightened. What was wrong with her?  
  
"Go ahead. You too, Colonel. Feel free to pay as much attention to her as you'd like. In fact, it's time for her to eat," Janet said as one of the nurses came over with a small bottle of formula, handing it to her. "Would one of you like to feed her?"  
  
Sam shook her head. "Oh, no. I couldn't. I've never... not even my nephew and niece."  
  
"Well, then. Colonel, you win," Janet said, handing the bottle to Jack. "I'll have Amy bring in a chair."  
  
"O...kay," Jack said, taking the bottle.  
  
As the nurse went to retrieve a chair, Jack handed the bottle to Sam to reach for Lorelei. Sam stepped back as he deftly lifted Lorelei from the bed, setting her against his shoulder as she mewled softly, coming awake. Jan returned with the chair, sliding it behind the curtain, and Jack sat.  
  
Minutes later, Sam was sitting on the end of the cot watching Colonel Jack O'Neill feed a baby. It was a surreal and silencing thing. She couldn't keep her gaze from his face. His features were relaxed, the smallest hint of a smile at the corner of his nice lips. He held her in the bend of his arm, high on his chest. Close enough to his heart that with just the slightest bend of his neck, he could press a kiss to her forehead if he wanted.  
  
Lorelei's mouth smacked as she momentarily lost her suction on the nipple, and Jack chuckled. The sound sent a shiver over Sam's entire body. She licked her lips and swallowed hard before finding her voice.  
  
"She's hungry, huh?"  
  
"Sure is. I think Doc Frasier's gonna have to move her up to six ounces soon."  
  
Sometimes, Sam thought she knew Jack better than anyone else she had ever known. She had learned to read his body language, anticipate his decisions, and sense his presence. He was a strategic genius, and an amazing leader. A man of few words, yet a man who could say a thousand things in a single glance. She knew, they had shared many a conversation that consisted of little more than a dozen words with everything else expressed in the very things not said.  
  
Yet, she found herself amazed as this new Jack. A man who knew to stop and burp a baby half way through a bottle. Who knew just how to stroke her back in an upward circular motion to relieve the pressure and produce the soft, delicate belch. And who knew just how much formula a baby would eat.  
  
"You're good at that," she said before her rational mind kicked in and told her to keep her mouth shut.  
  
Jack looked up again, and their gazes held for two heartbeats longer than was prudent. "Yeah, well. It's been awhile. I'm rusty."  
  
Before Sam could say anything, apologize for her lack of tact, Janet returned.  
  
"I have news. We've found someone to take Lorelei."  
  
Sam straightened and stood. Jack remained in his spot, Lorelei again asleep in his arms.  
  
"Who?" Sam asked.  
  
Janet looked at her for a long moment, then smiled. "You."  
  
Sam's eyes popped wide and she stuttered. "What? Me?"  
  
"I just spoke with General Hammond. He thinks it's a good idea. Lorelei is already familiar with you, even though she's not even a day old. That makes a difference. He has taken SG-1 off the mission schedule until we find a permanent home for her, and until then, you are her caregiver."  
  
Sam slowly turned her head and looked down at Jack, or more at Lorelei, but she couldn't look at one without seeing the other. Panic collided with a giddy kind of happiness she couldn't explain. She crossed her arms over her body to try and rein it all in.  
  
"She can go home today. I don't have any reason to keep her."  
  
Panic just took over completely.... 


	6. Chapter 5

Sam paced the floor, walking from the kitchen to the living room, and back again. Lorelei's tiny head rested on her shoulder, and her arms ached from the constant bouncing and swaying. But nothing would soothe the screaming child. Loud wails ripped through the house, making Sam wince. Tears of pure frustration burned her eyes.  
  
She wasn't cut out for this. Obviously, she should never be held responsible for the care and well being of another human being and the maternity gene had skipped her all together.  
  
Lorelei cried out again, and something in Sam's gut told her they weren't cries of hunger or because her diaper was wet. Or that she was tired. They were cries of discomfort. But what to do? What the hell could she do?  
  
"Shhhhh," she whispered against Lorelei's warm skin, her downy hair brushing Sam's lips. "Oh, Lorelei... I wish I knew what to do."  
  
Sam stopped short half way to the kitchen. She didn't know, but she knew someone who would.  
  
She dressed Lorelei in the pink bunny bunting Janet had given her and tucked the baby into her car seat. Lorelei continued to cry, but Sam hoped the relief would come soon. She covered the seat with a warm polar fleece blanket and headed out into the cold.  
  
Ten minutes later she was on his doorstep, the crying baby nestled in her arms. It was late, nearly 2200 hours, and his house was in almost complete darkness. But she saw a blue flicker of light from his television and hoped that meant he was awake. Balancing Lorelei with one arm, she knocked on the door.  
  
No sound came from inside, and she saw no movement. Lorelei's cries were just long strains of quivering pleas that ripped at Sam's heart. She swallowed against the tears. Why was she crying?  
  
Sam closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against the soft fleece of the baby's blanket. Big, fat tears squeezed free and rolled down her cheeks. She was crying because she felt useless and stupid and ...  
  
The door opened. "Carter?"  
  
Sam opened her eyes, hoping she didn't look as pitiful as she felt. "I don't know what to do..."  
  
Then he reached for her, his arm coming around her shoulders to draw her into the house. His other hand touched Lorelei's blanket just as she cried out again. Jack led her into the house and down the steps to the living room. He must have been asleep on the couch.  
  
"How long has she been crying?"  
  
"Over an hour. Sir, I don't know what's wrong. I fed her. I changed her. I rocked her..."  
  
"When did she eat?"  
  
"About an hour and a half ago."  
  
"Did she burp?"  
  
"Yes!" she nearly shouted in frustration.  
  
"Okay, okay... Let me see."  
  
Sam hated the sense of relief that swept over her when he took Lorelei from her arms. She wiped viciously at her cheeks and crossed her arms over her body, watching him as he sat down on the couch and peeled away the warm layers of material. He shifted to lie her down on the cushion beside him, and Sam watched in wonder as his experience showed through. He lifted the tiny little sweatshirt she wore, exposing the one-piece underwear beneath, and laid his large hand across her tummy. Long, strong fingers spanned Lorelei's entire body.  
  
Then he stood, bent over so his hand was still on her, motioning for Sam to come to him. She did, and tried to hide her reaction when his hand curled around her wrist.  
  
"Sit down with her. I'll be right back."  
  
Sam nodded, sinking down onto the cushion warmed by his body. She leaned over Lorelei, stroking her hair and wishing to God she knew what to do. Weren't women supposed to instinctively know all this stuff? Was she some kind of female reject? She could fix a tri-phase Naquida generator in less than ten minutes with a single screwdriver and a paperclip, but she couldn't soothe a newborn baby.  
  
Jack returned, folding a fluffy towel as he came down the steps.  
  
"Pick her up."  
  
Sam followed his instructions, and he laid the towel on the couch. It touched her leg and she was surprised to feel the heat radiating from it.  
  
"Lay her down on her stomach on the towel."  
  
Again, Sam did exactly what she was told. The crying didn't stop, didn't even slow down.  
  
"Okay. I'll be right back."  
  
Sam's head snapped up. Jack sat on the coffee table beside the couch, so close his knee bumped hers.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"Don't worry. I'll be right back." He reached out and took her face in his hands so their eyes locked. The warm of his skin was immediately soothing. "She'll be fine. I won't be gone twenty minutes."  
  
His thumb stroked her cheek, and she realized with embarrassment that she was still crying. She nodded within his hold. Then he stood, and she felt immediately bereft at the loss of his touch. She circled her hand over Lorelei's back, hoping it might in some way help.  
  
It was going to be a long twenty minutes... 


	7. Chpater 6

Jack never thought he'd be doing this again any time in his life. Standing in the baby aisle of a 24-hour pharmacy at 10:30 at night. He thought those days were behind him.  
  
Yet, here he was.  
  
And a beautiful woman and crying baby were in his house, waiting for him to come home.  
  
Imagine that.  
  
He scanned the shelves, searching through the infant acetaminophen drops and vitamin supplements. Either he was in too much of a rush or they were just hiding the stuff he wanted really, really well.  
  
"Is there something I can help you find, sir?"  
  
Jack pivoted on heels to the pimple-faced young man wearing a red pharmacy vest with a nametag that read 'Steve'. The kid couldn't have been more than seventeen or eighteen.  
  
"Uh, yeah. I'm looking for the gas drop things."  
  
"Certainly. They're right over here."  
  
Yup... they'd been right under his nose. Take a deep breath, O'Neill...  
  
"Great. Thanks. Um, do you have any of that soy formula stuff?"  
  
"Yes. We keep the formula behind the front counter. It has a very high theft rate. Would you like the pre-mixed or the powder?"  
  
"Pre-mixed." They didn't need the hassle of trying to make the stuff, too.  
  
He followed the teenager to the front of the store and took his wallet from his back pocket as his purchase was rung through.  
  
"That'll be $32.54."  
  
"Damn," he mumbled as he took the bills out. This stuff had gotten expensive since the last time he bought it.  
  
"Have a good night, sir."  
  
Jack nodded and grabbed his bag. He glanced at his watch. If he hurried, he might just make it back to the house in less than the twenty minutes he promised.  
  
He pulled into his driveway, seeing the soft glow of lights from inside. Jack knew he couldn't dwell on the whole situation, couldn't let him think about how nice it was. Not a crying baby, but having a baby and a woman in his home. It was something he hadn't thought about. Not since Charlie died. Not since the divorce. Not ever.  
  
Yet... it wasn't a thought that seemed completely foreign.  
  
He climbed out of the truck and hurried to the front door. Sam turned her stunning blue eyes on him as he bounded down the steps into the living room, shrugging off his jacket as he went.  
  
"See? Told you I'd be right back."  
  
She tried to smile. It was a valiant effort, but he knew she was at the breaking point. Doc Fraiser knew Sam wouldn't have turned her down, and he had seen the connection she had already made with Lorelei, but it had to be overwhelming.  
  
"I think she's not crying quite so hard," Sam said, her voice weak.  
  
"The heat of the towel should have helped. Pick her up and cradle her while I get this damn box open," he said, trying to get through the three safety seals on the packaging.  
  
As he made it through the final obstacle, he sat down on the couch beside Sam. She had Lorelei in her arms, and the nearness and motion brought her against his hip. But neither moved. Now was not the time to be worrying about imaginary buffer zones.  
  
"Here we go." He unscrewed the cap of the bottle, taking out the dropper inside. It was pre-marked and he measured out the medicine. "Turn her to me."  
  
Sam moved closer to him and he touched the dropper to Lorelei's lips. The clear fluid drained into her mouth and she immediately began to suck on instinct. Her face screwed into a surprised expression, and Jack figured the stuff must not have tasted very good.  
  
Sam chuckled softly.  
  
Within moments, Lorelei calmed. With one final shuddered breath, she managed to work her fist to her mouth and began to suck hard on her own knuckles. Wide blue eyes stared at the two of them.  
  
"Oh, my god," Sam said in a soft whisper. "You're a miracle worker. What did you do?"  
  
"It was gas. Giving her one hell of a stomachache. This stuff," he said, holding up the bottle. "Works fast. Sara and I spent three nights up with Charlie before someone told us about it."  
  
Sam looked up at him, her eyes still glistening with tears. "Three nights?"  
  
Jack nodded. "Sure. We were new parents. We didn't know what the hell we were doing. And we had nine months to prepare. You had all of about two hours."  
  
A tremble moved through her body as she released a long breath, and new tears brimmed in her eyes. A tiny sob, still so restrained and controlled because she was – after all – Major Samantha Carter, escaped from her throat.  
  
"Hey," Jack said softly, disregarding their unspoken rules to put his arm around her and pull her against his side. "It's okay, Sam."  
  
"I feel like an idiot."  
  
He pressed his lips against her hair, stopping just short of allowing it to be a kiss, and said softly, "You're not. Hell, not even you can know everything, Sam.  
  
She laughed, and he felt better. He tightened his hold around her shoulders until she released a pent up breath and relaxed against him. Her head rested back on his shoulder, and together they looked down at Lorelei. Without realizing he started doing it, Jack ran his fingertips along Sam's arm and shoulder. She didn't seem to mind, and he didn't mind, so he didn't stop.  
  
"Now, if she'd get some sleep. I should probably go. I didn't mean to wake you up."  
  
"It's okay. Stay. You shouldn't do this first night alone."  
  
Sam looked up at him, and heat rolled out through his limbs at the gentle emotion behind her eyes. It was looks like those that kept him going. Kept him strong. Finally, he knew he had to break the spell before it took him over. He raised his arm and brought it over her head so he could stand.  
  
"Come on," he said. "We'll give her another bottle. I bought a different kind. It might be easier on her stomach."  
  
He gripped her elbows and helped her stand, Lorelei still in her arms. Once she was on her feet, he led the way to the kitchen, grabbing the diaper bag she had brought and the pharmacy bag along the way. Sam stood against the counter as he poured six ounces of formula into the bottle, trying not to make a face at the smell.  
  
It might be more expensive, but it didn't smell any better.  
  
When he turned towards her, he paused at the way she watched him. Her cheeks were flushed, but her eyes had lost their moist haze. A small smile tipped her lips, and she held his gaze as he took the few steps towards her.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"You amaze me. After seven years, you can still shock the hell out of me." After a pause, she added "Sir," but the weight of her voice gave the reference as much intimacy as his own name would have.  
  
Jack shrugged, trying to ignore the intensifying awareness that grew with each minute. This was ... nice. Probably too nice. And he shouldn't let himself enjoy it too much.  
  
Sam fed Lorelei standing in the kitchen, her body leaned back against the counter edge. Jack stood in front of her, his hands shoved half way into his pockets, just his thumbs hanging out, and watched the baby suck down her food.  
  
"We should know in awhile if this settles better for her. If not, I still have a whole bottle of that stuff."  
  
Sam looked up from Lorelei's face, her features soft again. Relaxed. "Thank you so much. I must have been a fright when I arrived."  
  
"You were just frazzled. No big deal."  
  
Lorelei drained the bottle, gave them a big burp, and started showing signs of drifting off. They took her back to the living room and Jack watched as Sam changed her diaper. Fed, dry and content – Lorelei curled against Sam's burp cloth-draped shoulder with a sigh. But her big eyes still watched everything around her.  
  
"I don't know. She might need some help getting to sleep," Jack said, reaching out to brush his finger along the little girl's cheek.  
  
"Okay. You're the expert here. What do I do?"  
  
"Sing much, Carter?" 


	8. Chapter 7

Sam stared at him. "Absolutely not. I can't carry a tune in a bucket."  
  
Jack smiled, standing so close she could almost feel the heat of his body reaching out to her. "You don't have to sing well, Carter. Just sing."  
  
Bouncing Lorelei gently, she walked to the large glass windows that looked out onto the dark night. The moon reflected off the pristine white snow, making everything light with an ethereal glow. She could see Jack's reflection in the glass as he stood across the room, his eyes on her. His presence was such a comfort, and she was still in awe of what he had managed to do. He took a screaming baby and a crying woman and brought them both back to peace – all in less than forty-five minutes.  
  
"Maybe you should do the singing, sir."  
  
He walked towards her, and she watched him come closer in the glass. Her heart sped up, and she tried to wipe from her mind the reckless thoughts that kept pushing their way through. The incredibly right feeling of it all. They were dangerous thoughts. Pleasant, yet almost painful thoughts.  
  
He stopped behind her, as always just short of actual contact. Sam met his gaze in the reflection of the glass.  
  
"Try swaying instead of bouncing," he said, his voice low.  
  
"Swaying?"  
  
"Here. Like this."  
  
She had to press her eyes closed for just a brief moment as his arms came around her and his chest pressed against her back. His hands covered her own where she supported Lorelei and his chin hovered over her shoulder. Her nerves were alive, her insides almost trembling. His hips rested against the small of her back, his height giving him the slight advantage.  
  
Then he began to sway, taking her body with him in a slow dance. Held against him, both she and Lorelei in his embrace, he taught her what to do.  
  
"Now sing," he said, his mouth so close to her ear she felt his breath on her cheek. "Anything."  
  
Sam swallowed, her mind on overload. "I can't think of anything." Then she looked past the glass to the starry night outside. "How about Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star?"  
  
"Fine choice."  
  
The seductive weight of his voice was as exciting as it was soothing, and as they continued to sway together, she met his gaze again in the reflective glass. He watched her, and his fingers moved over her hands in a gentle caress. Sam cleared her throat and summoned all the courage she had left.  
  
"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. How I wonder what you are," she sang softly, just barely above a whisper. After the first line, Jack's baritone timbre joined her. "Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are."  
  
"Sing it again," Jack coaxed.  
  
Sam nodded, and they went through the simple verse another two times before Jack moved one hand to press his finger against her lips.  
  
"I think she's asleep."  
  
"Good..." was all Sam could think to say. Inside, she was almost disappointed. It meant she would leave his embrace.  
  
Jack leaned over her shoulder and pressed a long kiss to the top of Lorelei's head, and something grew in Sam's chest. It pushed out and expanded until she thought she would explode, or that it would begin to seep from her pours.  
  
Love. Deep, intense, undeniable love.  
  
He lifted his head and looked at her, his gaze shifting over her face before it settled on her mouth. Unable to control the reaction, Sam pulled her lower lip through her teeth, running her tongue over it. A gentle quake rumbled through his chest, vibrating against her back. Jack moved his hand from where it helped her support Lorelei, and pressed his palm against her cheek.  
  
She held her breath in anticipation.  
  
The brush of his lips against hers wasn't the kiss of unbridled passion. Of unfulfilled need. It wasn't a kiss of seduction. But the tidal wave of cold heat that flashed through her body was nearly enough to knock her down at the knees were it not for his arms around her.  
  
She parted her lips beneath the gentle caress, and for one all too brief moment, his hot tongue slipped inside to rub against her own. Electricity shot through her. His thumb stroked the corner of her mouth as he sipped at her lips.  
  
Sam swallowed against the rush of tears that threatened to fall when he broke the contact to rest his forehead against hers. Their breath mingled, and nothing needed to be said. 


	9. Chapter 8

The first thing Jack was aware of was the painful cramp in his neck. The second was the warm, slight weight on his chest. The third was Sam's head resting on his thigh.  
  
The fourth was the knock at the door.  
  
Jack snapped his head up, immediately groaning at the sharp pain that shot down his neck to the knot between his shoulder blades. He looked down, and his heart jumped.  
  
They were on the couch, having settled there somewhere around four in the morning when Lorelei had woken up again for another feeding. It was blurry at that point, but he vaguely remembered sinking into the soft cushions with Lorelei in his arms.  
  
Where she still was. Sound asleep.  
  
It was the other girl who had his heart racing. Sam stretched out on her side the length of the couch, with her head in his lap and her hand tucked beneath her cheek – sound asleep.  
  
Damn.  
  
Then he was jolted from his enjoyment of the whole situation when the knock came again, followed by the distinct sound of his front door opening.  
  
Who the hell...?  
  
"J.J? J.J Sweetheart, are you home?"  
  
Oh, for cryin' out loud...  
  
"Ma?" he called out in a restrained voice, hoping not to wake either of his girls.  
  
His first instinct was to jump to his feet and meet her in the hall, but that was pretty much impossible with a sleeping baby against his chest and a sleeping woman in his lap.  
  
Damn...  
  
Too late. Before he could do a thing, Madeline Cambridge – formerly known as Madeline O'Neill – was in his house and coming down the steps into his living room.  
  
"J.J, is that you? Why on earth are you sleeping on the couch... Oh, my Lord!"  
  
The look on his mother's face told him she was thinking absolutely everything he didn't want her to think. Not that he blamed her. The three of them had to make quite the picture.  
  
"Ma, it's not what you think. I swear."  
  
"Not what I think? Just what is it you think I'm thinking, J.J O'Neill? Because what I'm thinking is that I'm a grandmother again, and you didn't bother call and tell me."  
  
"No. Ma. Please... just... let me explain."  
  
Lorelei stirred against his shoulder. Her soft sigh told him she was awake... again... and probably ready for another meal. The soy formula certainly seemed to have done the trick.  
  
"I'm waiting, J.J."  
  
Jack winced. He hated... no... detested being called J.J. His mother was the only person on the planet – make that any planet that could get away with it.  
  
He ran a hand roughly over his face. Maybe this was a dream. A really sick, twisted dream. But when he opened his eyes, his mother was still there. Then to add to the agony, his stepfather came through the door and added his shocked expression to the mix.  
  
"Jack?"  
  
"Hey, Ed."  
  
"J.J., don't avoid me."  
  
"Okay, Ma. Can you just do me a favor? Take the baby for a minute so I can get up."  
  
Unfortunately, his mother seemed all to eager to take Lorelei. He saw it on her face as soon as the newborn was in her arms. She had staked her claim. And possession was nine-tenths of the law. As his mother disappeared into the hall, his stepfather in tow, Jack worked at slipping out from beneath Sam's sleeping form. Somehow, he managed to and she moaned softly as she settled again on the couch cushion.  
  
Jack stood in his spot, looking down at her. Oh, how he would have liked to enjoy the morning. He could have sat there for another hour, watching the two of them sleep.  
  
But it was probably a good thing his mother had shown up. Things had gone a step too far last night. Kissing Sam was a mistake. The most pleasant kind of mistake, but a mistake all the same. He shook off the thoughts and took a steeling breath as he headed for the kitchen.  
  
Lorelei was beginning to fuss, and he prepared a new bottle as his mother cooed and cajoled and Ed watched – dumbfounded.  
  
"Don't get attached, Ma."  
  
"J.J O'Neill... I come in to find you asleep with a beautiful woman and a newborn in your arms. What am I supposed to think? Are you going to tell me you and she aren't involved? That this isn't your baby?"  
  
Jack took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. He busied himself with making coffee as the bottle warmed. "The woman on the couch is Major Samantha Carter. She's my 2IC."  
  
Military service ran in the family, so is mother knew what he meant. "Did you become involved with your second in command?"  
  
"No! Ma! Let me tell you."  
  
"Please do."  
  
He was never real good at making up cover stories on the spot, but he did the best he could. He just basically left out the whole 'the baby is from another planet' part. But by the time he was done, he was pretty sure his mother believed him. He figured as much by the disappointed look on her face.  
  
After pouring a cup of coffee for each of them, and taking the bottle from the pot of water he'd set it in to warm, he took Lorelei from his mother's arms. He felt her gaze on him as he checked the heat of the formula, adjusted the burp cloth beneath Lorelei's chin, and proceeded to feed her breakfast.  
  
"Don't even think it, Ma. It's not happening again. Not as far as I can see."  
  
"Why not, J.J? You are a wonderful father."  
  
"Don't!" he snapped out, but quickly reined in the rush of emotion that took him by surprise. This whole thing... the last two days ... had really screwed with his head. "I'm sorry, Ma. Just... don't. Okay?"  
  
His mother nodded, but continued to watch him.  
  
"Mmmm, coffee smells wonderful. You should have woken me up, Ja—"  
  
Jack grimaced and turned to the kitchen door, where Sam now stood. Her cheeks were flushed from sleep, but her eyes were wide as she took in the scene.  
  
"Morning, Carter," he said, resorting to their tried-and-true form of reference. "Ah... this is my mother and step-father. Madeline and Ed Cambridge. Mom... Ed... this is Sam Carter." 


	10. Chapter 9

Sam's feet were glued to the floor. She couldn't move.  
  
Holy Hannah... How the heck did this happen? His mother? His mother?  
  
She approached Sam, extending her hand, and Sam numbly took it. God, she needed coffee, preferably by intravenous, because her mind was playing tricks on her. His mother looked familiar. Really familiar. Maybe because of pictures he had around or....  
  
"Holy Hannah..." she said aloud this time.  
  
Jack looked up from feeding Lorelei. "Carter?"  
  
"You're Madeline O'Neill?"  
  
"Well, I used to be," his mother answered.  
  
Yes... yes... damn! She was older than the last pictures Sam had seen, but the woman had to easily be in her seventies. A spry seventy, that was for sure... but seventies, nonetheless.  
  
"Sir, why didn't you ever tell me your mother was Madeline O'Neill?"  
  
Jack made his 'what the hell are you talking about' face and shook his head. "Why would I?"  
  
"Colonel, your mother wrote the initial astral-navigation computer program we used to create the Star—"She nearly choked on the words, but caught herself. Jack raised a single eyebrow. "We used to create the star charts we're using now at Cheyenne Mountain."  
  
"I wrote those programs decades ago," his mother said. "What are you doing there that you would use that program."  
  
"Deep Space Telemetry," both she and Jack said together, which garnered a look from his mother.  
  
Jack smirked and Sam tried to suppress her smile. They thought way too much alike sometimes. Sam cleared her throat and padded across the kitchen in her stocking feet to pick up the cup of coffee on the counter near Jack. She knew it was probably his, but since they took their coffee the same and she really needed to clear her head, she didn't really care. His gaze moved with her, and her skin warmed as his eyes dropped to her mouth as she took the cup away.  
  
"Go ahead, Carter. Tell her what you are," Jack said, his voice sounding like a father letting his kid pick out their favorite piece of candy.  
  
"I'm a theoretical astrophysicist for the Air Force."  
  
Jack's mother arched her eyebrows. It had to be a family trait. "Impressive. She's a smart one, J.J."  
  
Jack winced, and Sam snapped her head around to look up at him.  
  
"J.J?"  
  
"Not a word, Carter. Not a word! And that's an order."  
  
Sam smiled, not trying in the least bit to hide it. Oh, no... this was a piece of blackmail material she was going to stow away for a rainy day. The possibilities were endless. Just as his smile began to spread, another flash of recollection hit her and she looked to his mother.  
  
"I read somewhere, when I studied your work at the Academy, that you originally developed the program for your oldest son. Because he loved to look at the stars, and your program allowed him to plot them as he identified them." She looked back to Jack. "Your son, J.J."  
  
Jack looked away, busying himself with extracting the dry bottle from Lorelei's mouth. He wouldn't look at her as he shifted the baby against his shoulder and proceeded to extract a satisfying burp from her tiny body.  
  
"Colonel, I never knew I worked with the man responsible for inspiring the majority of computer programming and astronomical advances that have brought us to where we are today."  
  
"Ah, cool it, Carter."  
  
"Wait until Daniel hears this."  
  
To anyone else, his glare might have been a silent threat. But Sam saw the smile behind his eyes. She knew he wasn't really all that upset. He was just putting on a front. Sam finished her coffee – Jack's coffee – and he handed Lorelei off to her to pour himself another cup.  
  
"So... Ma. You gonna tell me why you're really here? Colorado is a bit of a hike from Chicago."  
  
"We're here with Bobby and Jean."  
  
Sam looked to Jack as she found a comfortable position for Lorelei in her arms. She realized they were probably standing a fraction of an inch too close. His hand was braced against the countertop, and with her hips set against the edge, one sway to the right would bring her against his side. Thoughts of their kiss flashed in her mind, and heat rose in her cheeks, but she didn't look away. Jack took a sip of his coffee before speaking.  
  
"Bobby is my younger brother. Half-brother. Jean is his wife."  
  
"If this is family talk, I should go."  
  
His hand came up to touch her shoulder. "No need. Right, Ma? We're not sharing any deep, dark secrets. Are we?"  
  
"No," she answered. "Just tragic ones." 


	11. Chapter 10

If someone had asked Sam three days before what her Saturday plans would be, they probably would have run along the lines of maybe reading... shopping... some research. Usual stuff.  
  
Never in a million years would she put herself here. Sitting in a booth at an old-fashioned diner eating breakfast with Jack O'Neill, his mother and stepfather, and a baby. It was too... Normal people did this stuff. People who had people. People with lives, and family. Not inter-galactic travelers involved in top-secret missions.  
  
But here she sat, beside Jack. So close their thighs brushed against each other whenever one of them moved. Across the table were Madeline and Ed Cambridge. And at the head of the table, sound asleep in her carrier, was Lorelei.  
  
"How long have they been trying the in vetro stuff?" Jack asked, and once again Sam felt intensely out of place.  
  
This was family talk... about babies and struggles and a tight-knit unit of people that she didn't know beyond Jack... and his mother's reputation.  
  
"They've tried four times. Before that it was two years of fertility drugs and continuous testing. They're here in Colorado because a doctor in Chicago recommended a specialist in Denver."  
  
Even though she didn't know Bobby and Jean, Sam's heart ached for them. To want something so badly, to commit years of your life, only to have it not happen had to be a painful thing. Wanting what you might never have.  
  
Her insides twisted. She understood more than she wanted to admit.  
  
"We'll know tomorrow if this procedure offers any chance. If not, they don't know what they'll do."  
  
"Have they thought of adoption?" Sam asked.  
  
"They're trying. But the agencies aren't pushing that hard to help. Bobby being in the Air Force, and possibly being away, seems to be a detriment."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Jean is deaf," Jack explained, and she turned to look at him.  
  
"And the agencies are disinclined to consider them as great candidates because she might have long periods of time where she would be the sole care provider."  
  
"That's ridiculous," Sam said adamantly, then pulled back, realizing she was treading on grounds she didn't belong on.  
  
She felt Jack's gaze on her, and looked back at him again. He watched her, a small smile sneaking across his lips, and she realized it was okay. No one took offense. As his mother continued to explain the situation, Jack leaned back and shifted in the booth, trying to find a comfortable position for his long legs. He set his arm across the back of the bench, and his fingers brushed her hair.  
  
Sam's heart jumped.  
  
To try and distract herself from the swirling shudder in her stomach that his close proximity created, Sam picked up her fork and snatched a mouthful of hash browns from Jack's plate. They smelled heavenly, and as soon as the plate had been set in front of him, she had wished her own breakfast came with them.  
  
"Hey, you gonna share, too?" Jack asked.  
  
She smiled and picked up a whole strawberry from her own plate, meeting his gaze as she held it out. As plain as day, she saw the temptation in his eyes. And if they hadn't been in a crowded café, with his parents right there, Jack may have eaten the fruit right from her fingers. His eyes darkened, and Sam held her breath. Then his hand brushed hers as he took the fruit and bit into it, sucking at the juices inside.  
  
Holy Hannah...  
  
Sam heard Jack's mother clear her throat, and turned away from him. She wondered how long it would take before her cheeks burst into flames, and hoped they weren't as flushed as they felt.  
  
"Bobby and Jean would have come down with us, but the doctor wanted Jean to stay off her feet for a day or two. Until the results are known."  
  
"We're on stand – uh – we're off for a few days. Maybe I can make it up to visit them," Jack said.  
  
"That would be nice, J.J."  
  
Sam hid her smirk by taking a sip of her orange juice, but Jack's nudge with his knee under the table let her it hadn't gone unnoticed.  
  
"Maddy?" said an unfamiliar female voice, and Sam looked up, nearly choking on her juice.  
  
The voice was unfamiliar, but the face wasn't. Sara – formerly – O'Neill. Jack shifted in the seat beside her, and Sam's eyes slipped closed. His mother scooted out from beneath the table and hugged Sara and they exchanged quick greetings.  
  
Sam looked to Jack. "Do you want to...?" she began to ask, motioning out of the booth.  
  
His hand slid from its resting point behind her and touched her shoulder. "No. You're fine."  
  
Then Sara looked to them, and Sam held her breath. Oh, boy. She had only ever seen Sara O'Neill in passing, just that one time years before in the chaos of the hospital. And she knew Sara had remarried the year before, because Jack had taken a long weekend to attend. But she could only imagine how this looked... because she knew how it felt.  
  
"Hi, Jack," Sara said, her voice heavy with the unasked question.  
  
"Hey. How you been?"  
  
"Good." Her gaze shifted from Jack to Sam, and Sam looked down shifting her gaze to Lorelei, who chose that moment to release a soft breath and delicately smack her lips.  
  
Sara leaned over the carrier, looking at Lorelei. "She's beautiful. And brand new. How old is she?"  
  
"Three days," Sam squeaked out.  
  
"I give you credit for being out and about after three day. Jack, you shouldn't have dragged her out to eat—"  
  
"No, I ... I mean, she's not..." Sam looked to Jack, her eyes wide, begging for help.  
  
"Sam is Lorelei's foster mother," he explained.  
  
"Oh," Sara said, straightening again. "I'm sorry. I just assumed..."  
  
Sam just shook her head. Jack's fingers skimmed across her shoulder again, a silent order to relax. It was no big deal. But it felt like a big deal. A huge deal. And she realized how big of a mistake it was to agree to go into public with Jack and his family, and Lorelei. What if someone from the base saw them? That'd take some major explaining.  
  
Jack and Sara talked for a few moments more, and Sam sat with her hands clenched in her lap, chewing on her lower lip. Then Sara said good-bye to Madeline, her former mother-in-law, and walked away to join a redheaded man at a nearby table.  
  
Sam released a pent up breath. Common sense would normally have her begging for the whole thing to be over with, but with a soft ache of her heart, Sam realized she didn't want it to end. It didn't bother her nearly as much as it should that Jack's ex-wife thought Lorelei was their baby. Or that his mother found her and the baby in his house. And she wasn't consciously working to keep the physical distance between her and Jack. It all felt good.  
  
And as soon as Lorelei had a home, it would all be over and she'd never see the baby girl again.  
  
Jack brought his arm down and slipped it beneath the table to gently squeeze her hand. 


	12. Chapter 11

Three days passed, and the routine of caring for a baby finally reached a point somewhere below chaos. Without really needing to discuss it, Sam and Lorelei had taken up residence in Jack's guest room. Even though he slept down the hall, he rose with Sam each time Lorelei woke and they paced the house together. Sometimes he held the baby, sometimes Sam did, and sometimes he ended up holding them both.  
  
They played a dangerous game. He knew it. Playing house. Playing family. The ultimate fantasy game. But damn it all if he didn't want to make it last as long as possible.  
  
The sun had risen just minutes before as he stepped out of the shower and pulled on his clothes. With his hair still ruffled and damp, he made his way to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee before Sam and Lorelei woke up.  
  
He was surprised to find Sam already awake, the aroma of fresh brew hanging heavy in the air. She stood at the sliding door in dining room, staring out onto his snow covered patio and the white landscape beyond. A cup of coffee was curled in her hand, steam rising to fog the cold glass, but she just stared out without seeming to focus on anything.  
  
It wasn't until he stepped up to her that he saw the wet trails on her cheeks.  
  
"Sam?" he asked, stepping beside her.  
  
She looked up, not seeming to be startled at all by his approach even though she had appeared lost in her own world. He looked down on her, seeing the soft tremble of her lip as she met his gaze. Then, with a shuddered sigh, she leaned into him and rested her forehead against his chest.  
  
He slipped the cup of coffee from her hand and set it on the table so he could pull her close, wrapping her in his embrace. She wasn't crying hard, but he felt the tension release from her body as she took in a shaky breath.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I can't keep her."  
  
Jack closed his eyes and rested his cheek against her hair, rubbing her back in slow strokes. "Do you want to, Sam? I bet Doc Fraiser would back you up, and I'd---"  
  
She shook her head against him. "I want to. I didn't think I would at first, but I want to. I just can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Sam pulled back and looked up at him. "Why not? Jack, we travel to other planets. Sometimes we're gone days at a time. How am I supposed to explain that to whoever takes care of her while I'm gone?"  
  
"It's not like there aren't other SG members with kids. They manage."  
  
"They all have someone at home."  
  
Jack could have continued the argument, but he knew she was right. Absolutely right. Part of him wanted to assure her that he would help, but that would do no good. If she was gone, so was he. And there in lay the stark truth of it all. Though he could never say it, would have to deny it to the end, if he ever had a family again he would want it to be with this woman. He trusted her with his life, and would trust her with his children, but couldn't have it both ways.  
  
He rubbed his hands up and down her arms, but didn't meet her gaze again. A weight hung in the air around them, pressing down on the both of them.  
  
"Jack, I'd take her if you and—"  
  
He shook his head and closed his eyes, pulling her again to his chest. "Sam," was the only word that would come.  
  
She relaxed against him, resting her cheek over his heart. After several minutes of silence, she spoke again.  
  
"I've been thinking..."  
  
"Uh, oh," he said, gently teasing. And was rewarded by her soft laugh.  
  
"I'm serious."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Will you hear me out before you say anything?"  
  
"I promise."  
  
She released a breath, and began to speak. 


	13. Chapter 12

"Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are."  
  
With each word, Sam's throat grew tighter and it was harder and harder to speak past the lump of emotion that threatened to choke her. She swayed back and forth, just as Jack had taught her, and stared down at Lorelei. Big blue eyes stared back as the little girl sucked eagerly on her fist.  
  
"Sam, are you going to be okay?" Janet asked as she approached from the other side of the guest quarters of the SGC.  
  
Sam just nodded, a fat tear falling from the tip of her nose to leave a damp spot on Lorelei's blanket.  
  
"Are you sure this is what you want? Sam, truly. If you want Lorelei, I can to talk to General Hammond right now, and—"  
  
"No," Sam managed to force from her throat.  
  
"Sam..."  
  
"No, Janet. This is the right thing. For her. I can't – I can't take her. Not right now."  
  
Janet's hand touched her back in a soothing attempt, but nothing could assuage the rioting emotions in her chest. She brought Lorelei up onto her shoulder, resting her cheek against the baby's downy hair, and continued to sway. After Janet walked away, Sam sang again.  
  
"Twinkle twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are..."  
  
The door opened and Sam turned enough to see Jack step in. Their gazes connected for one brief moment before his dark eyes slid away to look at Lorelei. He nodded slightly, then stepped aside for their guests to enter. Sam quickly swiped a hand across her cheeks.  
  
"Carter, this is my brother – Bob Cambridge – and his wife Jean."  
  
Behind Bobby and Jean were Madeline and Ed Cambridge. General Hammond had given authorization for them to be included in the process. Sam stepped forward and extended her hand to each of them. She made sure to make direct contact with Jean, remembering what Jack had told her about his sister-in-law reading lips.  
  
"It's nice to meet you."  
  
But Jean's gaze was already on the baby nestled against Sam's shoulder. Tears welled in the woman's eyes and she covered her lips with a trembling hand.  
  
"This is Lorelei?" she asked, her voice rounded and halted.  
  
Sam nodded. "Yes."  
  
It had taken less strength and will power to complete her last ten missions than it did for her to lower her hands and give Lorelei to her new mother. As soon as the comforting weight was gone, Sam crossed her arms over her body and took a step back, bumping into Jack. She should have moved at that point, but couldn't. She just wasn't that strong right now.  
  
"She's beautiful," Jean whispered.  
  
Bobby looked up at Jack. "This has been so much to absorb. I'm still in awe, I can't quite believe it."  
  
"Believe it," Jack said, and Sam heard the same heaviness in his voice that she felt on her heart.  
  
Bobby and Jean stepped away to sit on the nearby couch, studying their newly adopted daughter, and Madeline stepped towards them.  
  
"You have no idea what this means to them," she said as she laid a hand on Jack's arm. Then she rested her other hand on Sam. "Thank you. Both of you. And someday, I want to hear more details about just what it is you two do."  
  
"Ma..." Jack began, and his mother smiled.  
  
"I know, J.J. Top Secret stuff. But you've told me enough to stir my interest." She squeezed Sam's hand and looked at her. And Sam knew where Jack got his brown eyes. Eyes that could say everything without saying a thing. "Lorelei will always know the special role the two of you played in bringing her to us. As much as we can tell her, of course. She will know her Uncle J.J.—"  
  
"Jack—"he slipped in, and she smiled.  
  
"And Aunt Samantha loved her very much."  
  
Sam's heart swelled and she drew in a breath. "Oh, no. I'm not family. She shouldn't call me Aunt Samantha..."  
  
Madeline squeezed her hand and smiled, a definite I know more than you realize kind of grin.  
  
Sam managed to keep it all in control while Janet spoke to Bobby and Jean about Lorelei's medical status, and the fact that Jack had put her on the soy milk. She explained that, as Lorelei grew older, they may find some unusual developments that couldn't yet be determined, and that they should call the SGC with any concerns. Lorelei cried out at one point, and every fiber of her being wanted to reach for the baby. But she clenched her fists, her nails digging in to her palms, and held her place.  
  
All too soon, it was time for them to leave and take Lorelei with her. They all stood and moved to the door, but Sam held her spot. Unable to move. Barely able to breathe. She was vaguely aware of Jean stopping in front of her, and leaning down to kiss Lorelei's soft skin, and then they were gone.  
  
Silence enveloped her. And her heart broke.  
  
She was still standing in the same spot when the door opened again and Jack stepped through. How long she had been standing there, she didn't know. Sam looked up and their gazes locked. The damn broke and a sharp sob ripped through her. Her knees buckled, but Jack was there and wrapped her in his arms.  
  
"No, no..." she protested, trying to move back. This was the SGC. This was forbidden territory. She couldn't. They couldn't...  
  
"Shhhh," he whispered against her ear, holding her tight to his chest.  
  
Giving Lorelei up had taken all the willpower she had. She curled her fingers into the front of Jack's tee shirt and let the tears come. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her so close it was hard to take a deep breath. But she needed to be held... to be held by him. He bent his neck and pressed his face against the curve of her neck. For one brief second, his lips touched her skin, and she drew from the fleeting intimacy every bit of strength he had to offer.  
  
He whispered against her throat, and her heart clung to the words.  
  
"Someday." 


End file.
